Bunta

I've heard the conversations about how the 4 pin headlights were not readily accpeted in Japan and Honda of Japan switched it to a more appealing frontend. How did change actually go about? And when the initial change occured, why didn't all exported Integra's receive the same treatment? Wouldn't it have been more economical to mass produce one similar body style, rather than two? I can understand the increase costs to pass safety inspections, but I would imagine in the long run the money saved from mass production of one style would have surpassed the costs of safety inspection.

I know here in USA there is a popular demand to see the CTR, EVO, S15 and so forth on these shores. Yet it is only recently that the USA has again begun to see performance inspired import vehicles from factory - be it the ITR, Civic Si, WRX, and the list goes on. Even still, we are still short of vehicles that everybody would enjoy here in the states.

AWDSOME

Depends on how you look at it. From what I know the new body style was very well accepted everywhere else and the sales increased very well. Meanwhile in Japan sales decreased so they felt the need to change the style, but why change it everywhere if the combo for everywhere else seemed to be working. I guess it coudl have been a better decision to not risk sales in other areas and the production trade off was worth it.

PiYoImuT

At least the DC-5 will not have 2 versions...
it's sorta combination of Both..

Bunta

I can see where you are coming from, but that leads to more questions. What is to say that unappealing body styling was the factor in poor sales in Japan? If HoJ could easily see such a determining factor, why hasn't Honda gone back to the drawing boards with the upcoming styling of the Civic Si hatchback? (at least for the USA) What I have gathered from the reactions of people across several BBs is split almost 50-50 with those not liking the new style favored over those who do like it.

Does anybody happen to know by how much sales improved when HoJ switched frontends? Do you think the release of the ITR had any effect in sales? That is, if HoJ did not switch front ends, perhaps sales would have still increased with the arrival of a more performance minded Integra, no?

owen_the_soyboy

once you tool up for a production run of, say, a 5 year length run, you do NOT want to change your mind and re-tool for different parts. that would be really costly and is my guess as to why they didnt change worldwide to the JDM frontend...

I can only guess that when they say "not well accepted" in Japan they mean sales were really poor, horrible in fact compared to expectations.

Andrew Sites

It was my understanding that the round headlight look appealed more to Japanese women, rather than men. For a long time, the Integra was aimed more at the moderately successful woman in Japan.

I can only assume that when Honda introduced the Type R, which is obviously more directed towards the male market, they wanted to change the styling accordingly.

Bunta

You just opened up a whole new can of worms there! So if the original target buyer was moderately successful women in Japan, why initiate a complete turn around and make a stab at the male buying market? It can be analogous to trying to aim the current VW new Beetle towards young "hot rod" minded males.

Andrew Sites

Bunta,

I don't know. Why does Ford market the Mustang convertable to 16-25 year old women, yet still build the Cobra R?

Floyd

What about the locations that the Integra's were manufactured? Perhaps they only retooled the plant in Japan? (Was this the point you were trying to make, Owen?) That doesn't explain how our ITR's came from Japan with the USDM front though...

-Floyd

Luke

Yeah they probably had a boatload of front ends that they needed to get rid of and it made sense to use them before they attempted the new model

dc24me

I heard the exact same thing, the 4 round headlights being too feminine looking. It's weird because over in HK, I ad RHD Acura Integras with the same lights that we have hear, long with ITRs with Jspec headlights.. and it's only a 3 hour flight away form Japan. Weird.

Bunta

That could also be a possibility, yet in 1998 why did the USDM Integra receive a minor restyling of the frontend, rather than just mainstreaming the whole lineup and making all the Integra frontends "universal".

I guess this is one of those things that can never be answered and only speculated.

Andrew Sites

I had read the same article, but I can't remember where it was from.

Racer-X

"Yes, response operation feeling. The comfortable organic functions beyond the numerical value""The style which asserted the sport" quotes from Honda of Japan website as to the change...it was changed because it didn't look sporty enough for Japanese to buy...also figures fell off so bad was the reasoning behind the change mostly because most believe Hondas looked too much like the celica front 4 beams setup. Also remember Toyota Celica was also offers in GT-4 spec which was AWD and turboed. Remember seems like Japanese tend to think round looking head lights look cute or ugly..as like the new WRX styling was not welcome right off but because of the performance issue it was overlooked alot. Also most Honda fans wanted the new Integra to look more like the older Integra. The new Integra was set for both male and females in the 18-30 old ranges some with and without families is reasoning for the 4 door estates.
So when the the 4 beam went on sell in Japan it wasn't really well received but was doing better #'s in other countries. Also remember the NA and UK and Euro and Aussie Integras all carried the 4 beam lay out so the parts could always be souresed from one of the plants in these countries. The 3 door Integra four beams ran from 93-95 which in 95' is when the first ITR made its debut. Though the 4 door more family estate Integra went on from 93-97 which is was phased out..the reasoning was the 4 door was more family sense to it and didn't have to always meet to sport image..but this is where all the extra bumper clips went. As they where sold along side of the new sportier Ingtegras.

Also the as for the Integras running detuned motors I think not. The manuals B18C's made 180ps which is around 177hp* more then the US models.* The Auto 4 speed however made 170ps which is around 167hp*this is due to auto robing power which would have brought it up to 170hp the engine the GSR basically ran in the US with manuel*

For all that don't believe here is the specs sheet for the 93-95 Integra Si Vtec 3 door with 1.8 litre B18C
http://www.honda.co.jp/HOT/ModelData...05/vtc_sy.html

Here is the Integra History Matrix:
http://www.honda.co.jp/HOT/ModelData/integra/index.html

This is good source for all info on Japanese Integra and any other models made by by Honda.

Cheers!